Hydrology Fundamentals

What is the literal meaning of the term 'hydrology'?

What drives the hydrologic cycle?

What is the term for the area that topographically appears to contribute all the water that passes through a specified cross section of a stream?

What is the horizontal projection of the area of a watershed called?

What is the term for the surface trace of the boundary that delimits a watershed?

What is the primary unit of measurement for the hydrologic cycle?

What is the study of the occurrence and movement of water on and beneath the surface of the Earth related to?

What type of questions are aspects of Hydrological Sciences based on?

What is the process by which excess precipitation is drained from a watershed?

What is the purpose of classifying a stream network?

What is the primary sector that utilizes water?

What is a key aspect of the water cycle?

What is a characteristic of the hydrological sciences?

What is the age of over a third of groundwater in USA public-supply aquifers?

What is a consequence of climate change on hydrology?

What is a key concept in the study of hydrology?

What is Hydrology?

Hydrology is the study of the occurrence and movement of water on and beneath the surface of the Earth, including its properties and relationship with the living and material components of the environment.

The Hydrologic Cycle

The hydrologic cycle is a cycle that depends on location and is driven by energy inputs (primarily from the sun).
The solar radiative energy averaged over the globe is 342 W m-2, which drives the hydrologic cycle.
The hydrologic cycle is dynamic.

Groundwater Flow

Groundwater flow is an essential aspect of the hydrologic cycle.

Precipitation

Precipitation size and speed are important factors in the hydrologic cycle.

The Watershed

A watershed is the area that topographically appears to contribute all the water that passes through a specified cross-section of a stream (the outlet).
The surface trace of the boundary that delimits a watershed is called a divide.
The horizontal projection of the area of a watershed is called the drainage area of the stream at or above the outlet.

The Stream Network

Drainage of excess precipitation occurs via a hierarchical stream network.
The stream network converges into fewer streams, which converge into fewer streams, and so on, until the main stream/channel.
Stream networks can be classified, with the most popular classification being by Strahler (1952).
Watershed order is the order of the stream at the outlet.

Why Hydrology?

Water and life are interconnected.
The responsibility to manage water resources is crucial.
Agriculture is the major sector utilizing water.
Water consumption is a significant aspect of human freshwater appropriation.

Hydrology and Climate Change

Climate change plays a role in hydrology, with catastrophic and unavoidable impacts.
Global warming is not "normal" and has significant effects on hydrology.
Extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods, are becoming more frequent due to climate change.

Explore the study of water on and beneath the Earth's surface, its properties, and its relationship with the environment. Learn about physical hydrology and its aspects.